Construction equipment supplier MB Crusher encountered one of the sweetest jobs in R?union, one of the Mascarene Islands and a French overseas department in the western Indian Ocean
Located in the heart of the La Saline in Belle Vue, there is a historic sugar plant. A few months ago, in pursuit of the use of heritage in the service of the economy and development, the council began reclaiming this brownfield, a factory that once represented the economic heart of the island.
To this day, in R?union, home to the almost forgotten traditional Galabe, the sugar industry has a particularly important part of the island economy. It generates more than 18,300 direct, indirect and induced jobs in agriculture, industry, transport, energy and research. It also plays a major role in the production of sugar by-products.
From the raw material, sugar aside, the produce includes:
- Rum, from molasses and cane juice
- Electricity, from the bagasse, which is the key to Reunion Island?s energy self-sufficiency
- Fertiliser, from the foam
- Fodder for livestock
It can be said that the sugar cane is an all-rounder and nothing is being wasted. The same philosophy applies to MB units designed to promote the use of waste and convert it into a resource. Reunionese are used to find ways to maximise all available resources.
That's exactly what was witnessed here. The sugar factory in Belle Vue was built before 1874, underwent several extensions, but was closed in 1969 because it could no longer cope with demand. Since then, the building has been overgrown with vegetation and waste at the beginning of this year. Cleaning and safety work has been carried out in the former sugar factory in La Saline. MB Crusher stated that operations were necessary to allow this building to have a new life.
The crusher bucket MB-C50, mounted on the Kobelco, was used to reduce all inert material produced from the plant, since the main objective was to access the interior in order to have a perspective on future developments.
A large housekeeping operation and a mandatory request for nothing to be wasted saw a crusher bucket busy cutting bricks, reinforced concrete, cement to the size that granted the aggregate re-use. This former sugar factory, once the economic lung of the neighbourhood, was given a second wind. This 3,800 sq m building is part of the development project of the town of La Saline, carried out by the City.
The reclaiming of work was carried out directly at the residential site, next to public schools and the city swimming pool, without obstructing the activities of the population. This is because all MB units are certified and designed to reduce noise and dust while at the same time considering reducing emissions and protecting the environment.
Reminiscing old times is heartwarming, reclaiming iconic buildings is fulfilling. So more city councils should focus on brownfield developments and provide wealth to their community. MB Crusher has proof that it can be a piece of cake!
